Improvement in pastern-halter clasps



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. FORD, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO AUSTIN D. CABLE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PASTERN-HALTER CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

152,944, dated July 14, 1874; application filed May 14, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that 1, JOHN C. FORD, of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Halter-Clasp and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clasp with halter attached, applied to the pastern of a horse. Fig. 2 is a top view partly in section. Fig. 3 is an edge view, showing the top of the thumb-latch.

My invention relates to the peculiar construction of a hinged clasp, intended to be used with the pasternhalter patented by me on the 4th day of November,1873, as a more convenient and rapid method of attaching the halter to the pastern of the horse; and consistsiu forming said clasp of two jaws hinged together, and provided with a thumb-latch, so made and guarded as to aftord a convenient and safe mode of uniting the free ends of the jaws together, one of said jaws being formed, at its fixed or hinge end, into a strap-eye for the reception of one end of the halter, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

My clasp is made of metal, preferably of brass or malleable iron, and consists of the two jaws A and B, their uniting-hinge C, and latch E. The jaw A is formed, at its hinge end, into an eye, D, to which the end of the strap or halter S is attached, as shown. The other end of jaw A forms a beveled catch, J to receive, guide, and hold the hooked end h of the spring-latch E. This latch is hinged, at F, between the two guards G, and is provided with a thumb-piece, T, on its rear end, and a stop, 8, underneath, to limit its downward movement. A spiral spring, H, reacts against the under side of the rear arm of the latch to throw it up and engage the hook it with the beveled projection J on the jaw A. The guards Gr G project up above the level ofthe thumb-piece T, so as to protect it from blows which might release the latch. The

jaws A and B are made rounding and smooth on their inner surface, and grooved eXteriorly, and they may be covered with leather, if preferred.

The clasp is opened by pressing on the thumb-piece T. It closes by pressing the free ends of the jaws together, when the hook h rides up on a beveled notch on the end of jaw A, and engages with hook J on that jaw.

A V-shaped projection on the end of jaw B (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) is received into a notch of corresponding shape in the end of jaw A, and thus lateral movement is prevented.

Having thus fully described my invention,

hinged at F, and provided with the thumbpiece T, protected by guards Gr G, spring H, and stop 3, in combination with the beveled hook J on the free end of jaw A, as set forth.

3. ln'the latching device of a pastern-halter clasp, the V-shaped notch and guide in the end of jaw A, for the double purpose of guiding the hook it to its engagement with hook J, and of receiving the V-shaped projection of jaw 13, and preventing the lateral movement of the jaws, as stated.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Montreal this 4th day of May, A. I). 1874.

JOHN 0. FORD. Witnesses:

\V. W. DU'NLOP, P. J. GURRAN. 

